“Better?” Rayne asked before pressing a butterfly-light kiss to the corner of Eno’s mouth.
“Yeah,” Eno exhaled and even that one word sounded slurred to him. How many brain cells did Rayne kill exactly? Did he even have enough to keep his body operating properly?
“You’re perfect.” Rayne set the washcloth aside and moved toward the shower.
Eno stopped him by grabbing his elbow. “And you’re secretly dirty.”
Rayne’s eyes darted to his face and quickly away. There was an adorable flush to his cheeks as if he were embarrassed, but there was also a hint of that filthy grin. “I have my moments.”
“I’m looking forward to experiencing more of those moments.”
Rayne met his eyes, his expression seeming a bit steadier. But then, Rayne preferred to face all things head on. It was one of the many things he loved about this man. “I like it more when you’re in control, but there are times…”
“That works just fine for me.”
And it was the truth. He wanted to experience everything and anything with Rayne. Well, so long as that everything and anything didn’t include sharing him with another human being. But that was his only known line in the sand.
Smiling softly, Rayne pulled away enough to start the water for Eno’s shower. He turned and helped Eno to sit up. Aches and pains that he’d forgotten about were coming back now that he was falling from his Rayne-induced high. The hot shower would help with that.
With Rayne’s help, he undressed and climbed under the hot spray. For a moment, he simply stood under the water, relishing the feel of finally getting clean. He could hear Rayne moving around the bathroom, cleaning up the supplies he’d used and returning anything he hadn’t to the little kit.
“What are you thinking?” Eno inquired. Maybe he wanted to keep Rayne in there for a few more minutes to revel in the sound of his voice.
“How the hell did your immigration papers completely escape my research?” Rayne grumbled.
Eno tipped his head and laughed. He’d always guessed that Rayne had run his own background check on him, and it was only natural for the man to be irritated that he’d missed something so large.
“But you knew I was adopted?”
“Yes, I found that paperwork, but I didn’t dig into your parents. Because of your young age, I figured they were irrelevant.” Rayne swore softly under his breath. “Laziness on my part. I should have taken the extra steps. It would have meant we weren’t surprised today.”
Eno paused in the act of reaching for the soap, curling his fingers into a fist. “If you had known…do you think it would have changed anything?”
“Between us? Or in general?”
“Both.”
“No, to both,” Rayne replied without hesitation. “I might have been a little more cautious of you those first couple of years, but you’ve proved yourself time and again to be loyal to Caelan, the Godstone, and the kingdom. You’re more than your birth, Eno Bevyn. You’re the prince’s guard, the king’s arm of justice and protection. Never doubt that.”
Eno smiled against the lump of emotion in his throat. And like that, Rayne mended up the worst of his pain and doubts. Rayne, the king’s advisor, left zero room for doubt. There was only fact.
How could he ever survive without this man in his life?
19
Drayce Ladon
Drayce shuffled out of the bathroom the next morning, yawning and hoping coffee might magically appear in their posh prison. It was probably too much to ask for. Dinner last night had been a half ration of rice and stale bread. Figured. He and Eno had gone to all that trouble of freeing Green Gate so the people would be fed, and they got stuck with rice and bread.
It was still better than the rice he and Cael had made, though. Rice should never be that chewy.
He passed through the bedroom where Caelan was still sprawled across the bed in a tangle of blankets, snoring softly. A deeper snore echoed out of the small sitting area from Eno stretched out on the sofa, feet dangling over the end. Rayne sat in the chair beside him.
A book was open in his lap, but Drayce couldn’t tell if he was reading or sleeping sitting up.
Crossing the room, Drayce extended one finger to poke Rayne in the shoulder, but stopped inches from him when he was greeted with a terse, “What?”
Yeah, Rayne definitely needed coffee in the morning, or he was liable to start a war all on his own.
“Do you want to take the open spot in the bed? I’m up now,” Drayce offered.
“I’m fine,” Rayne mumbled even though he didn’t look fine. “Besides, our prince kicks too much in his sleep.”
Drayce bit down on his bottom lip to hold back his retort. Rayne didn’t need to know that he’d learned to wrap himself around Caelan, tangling their legs together, so their restless prince couldn’t kick him. Plus, he had no desire to see Rayne holding Cael like that even if their relationship was purely platonic.